Last Stop
by Descena
Summary: Betrayal...death...a haunting past...love...hate...and a stunning ending. Enter Descena's Alias world. NOW FINISHED
1. Chapter 1

**Sydney Voice over (V.O.)**

_Some people say, that your life flashes before your eyes in the instant of your death._

In an ambulance  
(Emt's are working on Sydney, who is bleeding from her chest, beaten, and a bloody wound on her head. Sydney is staring up, her eyes glassy, focused on something, that isn't there really. Michael Vaughn is with her, holding her hand, worried, terrified, nearly crying.)  
Vaughn: Sydney!

_Sometimes, you see memories. Good memories_

Flashes of: Vaughn proposing; her and Francie laughing; her and Will kissing; her and her father hugging each other

_But you also get a glimpse of the bad memories_

Flashes of: Danny dead; Vaughn killed; Irina shooting her; Lauren attempting to kill her; Vaughn married, kissing Lauren

_There reaches a point in your life, when it is your time to die, you see your loved ones, and the people you have met and have had an impact on your life, and Destiny_

Flash images of: Danny; Jack; Irina; Sloane; Marshall; Dixon; Francie; Will; Sark; Nadia; Weiss; Vaughn

_And after you see this, after you experience that pain, there comes the time, where you move behind the pain, and even though your loved ones plead for you to stay, you want to go. You need it to end. But then at the last minute, when it is too late, instead of walking into the light...you only find darkness..._

In the hospital; Sydney is laying on the bed, doctors are working on her, when all of a sudden, the monitor flat-lines...

**48 hours early**

Song; Aerosmith: Eat the Rich Playing

Sydney is jogging in the park when she slows to a stop and takes a breath.

"Heya stranger."

Sydney looks up and smiles at Vaughn as he approaches

"Hey."

Vaughn smiles back at her. "So, I woke up this mourning, and this beautiful woman I fell asleep with, isn't there anymore."

"I'm sorry. I just needed to clear my head."

"I figured." Vaughn sighs. "Sloane called."

**APO**

Sloane stood in front of his team. He looked around at his daughter, Nadia, her sister Sydney, his friend Jack, and the other team members, Marcus Dixon, Marshall Flinkman, Michael Vaughn and Eric Weiss.

"I am sorry to call you all in on such short notice," Sloane began, "But there is an urgent matter at hand that needs are attention."

He pressed a button on the remote he held in his hand and behind him, the scene flickered on to reveal a map.

"We have received Intel that Anna Espinosa and Irina Derevko have teamed up and are currently searching for another, and final, Rambaldi piece."

"You kidding me," Sydney breathed.

Sloane continued, ignoring Sydney. "Anna and Irina have already developed the machine that will bring forth Rambaldi's endgame, but they need this piece to unlock the rest of the mystery and make the machine work. We were sent the coordinates to where the piece is, and we will get it first."

"Where is it being held," Nadia asks

"In a house, actually," Sloane said, "In Nevada. We will go in, recover it, and turn it over to Chase and the CIA. So, Nadia, Dixon, and Weiss. You three will go to Nevada, recover the artifact, and bring it back. It is a cut and run mission, that's all. Sydney, we will need to keep Anna and Irina distracted for the time they are in Nevada. So, we contact them and tell them that you have requested to speak with them urgently, in regards to Julian Sark and where the artifact truly is. That is all."

**Sydney's house**

"I don't understand why Sloane won't send me to Nevada," Sydney complained.

"You heard Sloane Sydney," Nadia said, "It's a cut and run mission. To distract Anna and Irina we need a meeting. They are more likely to meet with you more than anyone else, you know that."

"Yeah," Sydney sighed, "I guess."

**Paris**

Sydney sees Anna and Irina sitting at a table in a local cafe. She sighs and walks over to the table. Both women look up at her and smile

"Sydney," Irina began, "To what do we both owe this pleasure?"

"I know what your after," Sydney said simply, "And you won't get it."

"And what's that," Anna asked.

"The Rambaldi piece. The last piece you need to bring upon his endgame."

"A-ha," Anna smirked. "You are the clever one, yes?"

"At this very moment, are team is in position to take the artifact and place them in secure and trusted hands."

"That's what this is," Irina asked. "A decoy?" Sydney said nothing. "You know better than anyone Sydney, no one can be trusted and no place is secure. Even at the CIA."

Anna smiled at Sydney while Irina continued. "How do you think you got those coordinates Sydney? By luck?"

(Scene switches to Nevada where Nadia and the team break into the house. It is a small house, where it looks like someone was watching the artifact. Nadia signals, and the whole team moves in and clears the house. Nadia then takes out what looks like a cell phone, and searches for the artifact. It beeps and she follows as it gets louder)

"Do you really think that would agree to see you and leave the artifact alone for the sake of an afternoon chat?"

"Yes actually, I did," Sydney huffed

(Nadia finds the signal and pulls back a picture, which reveals a safe. She places a code scrambler on it and the safe unlocks)

"Too bad," Irina said, "Because the artifact isn't there."

Sydney stares at her mother wide-eyed. "It's a set up?"

"I am so glad you weren't running that OP, Sydney," Anna said

**APO**

Jack's phone rings and he answers it

"Bristow."

"Dad!" 

"Sydney?"

"It's a set up!"

"What?"

"The artifact is NOT in Nevada, Mom and Anna set us up!"

**Nevada**

(Nadia opens the safe expecting to see the artifact, but she sees a bomb instead, counting down, Three, Two, One...)

"Oh shi-"

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

**Hospital**

Sydney got out of the elevator and practically ran up to her father. "Dad!"

Jack turned toward Sydney and sighed. "Sydney, thank god."

"Sorry," she breathed, "My flight got delayed. How are they?"

"Critical. But, the doctor believes that they could pull through."

"Thinks?"

"Sydney-," Jack began

"They set us up. How could they do that Dad? Better yet, why didn't we catch it?"

"I don't know," Jack admitted. "But we need to assume that they know where the real location of the Rambaldi piece is."

Vaughn walked up to them, "What happened? Are they okay?"

"We don't know," Sydney answered.

"Irina and Anna must somehow be responsible," Jack thought out loud.

"How is that possible," Sydney asked. All of this was starting to work her nervous big time. "How could they relay a message to APO and we take the whole thing as being reliable information?"

Jack looked at Sydney, wishing he had an answer, when Vaughn jumped in. "Maybe APO has a mole."

**APO**

Sydney walks quickly into APO with a purpose. Ignoring those around her who exchange glances with each other, regarding the Nevada incident. Sydney pushed open the doors to Sloane's office. Sydney looked at Sloane, who looked at surprised at her entrance.

"Let me call you back," Sloane said to the other person on the phone. "Sydney-"  
"Did you know?"

Sloane looked at her, confused. "Sydney-"

"Don't tell me you don't know what I am talking about," she said testily

Sloane didn't say a word, but only stared at her, in disbelief and utter shock

"Nevada," Sydney explained, "It was all a set up. Don't tell me you didn't it was."

"Sydney, if I knew, do you honest think I would have given the assignment to my own daughter?"

Sydney looked Sloane in the eyes. _He is so convincing_

"Yes," she said simply. " I wondered why you didn't send me."

Sloane stood up from his chair and walked over to Sydney

"I would never place my daughter in danger like that Sydney. Never! I knew nothing about a set up and what happened in Nevada was unfortunate."

"Unfortunate?" Sydney blurted out. "Dixon, Weiss and Nadia are in a hospital after a bomb exploded in their face! It is anything but unfortunate!"

"Perhaps it was a bad choice of words, but-"

At that point, Sydney lost control. She had it with Sloane. She grabbed him by his coat and slammed him into the wall

"I will find out if you were responsible, I swear to God I will. And if I were you, Sloane, I would be praying you were telling the truth, because if they die, if Nadia, dies, I will kill you. I promise you I will."

Sydney let's go of Sloane and walks out. Sloane straightens out his coat and stares after Sydney, fear reflecting in his eyes.

**Sydney's house**

Vaughn: They will pull through Sydney...you have to believe that

Sydney: I do. But to be honest with you, I actually believe Sloane

Vaughn: That he had nothing to do with it?

Sydney: That he knew nothing about the bomb. I mean, maybe yes, he had something to do with it, but I don't think even a man like Arvin Sloane would put his own daughter in mortal danger like that

Vaughn sat on the couch and Sydney rested her head in his lap

Sydney: I don't know what I'm suppose to do, Vaughn. (pauses) What did Marshall say?

Vaughn: He tried tracing the message, but it didn't work. It was corrupted. whoever sent it, doesn't want to be found

Sydney: What about Sark?

Vaughn: What?

Sydney sits up, a new idea coming to her

Sydney: Before Sark was captured, he and Anna were working together to find that piece that Anna and my mother wants now

Vaughn: So...?

Sydney: So, what if Sark knew the exact location?

Vaughn: Then we can get the piece before Irina and Anna?

Sydney: Exactly!

Vaughn: Well, as much as I hate and don't trust Sark...it's worth a shot

**CIA Cell**

Sark, sitting on his bed, hears people coming. Sighing he stands up. "Miss Bristow...long time, no see."

"We need information Sark."

"Really? I wouldn't have guessed that."

Sydney ignored him. "Before you were captured, you and Anna were working together in finding the missing Rambaldi piece, that last piece that was needed. I believe that you have the exact location and you didn't see the need to share it with your partner, at the time."

Sark smiles at Sydney. "I missed you, you know?" Sark nods his head when Sydney doesn't reply. "Yes, I have the location stored in the vault of a bank in Wittenberg. Do I know it by heart? No. I merely wrote it down and stored it away when we realized the CIA was trailing us."

"Where's the key to the vault, Sark?"

"Uh...see, there's the problem. Only I can retrieve the key. Not by phone, not by email, only in person, face to face."

Sydney looks at Sark and then finally sighs. She nods at the guard and he unlocks the cell, and un-cuffs Sark.

"If you betray me Sark...they won't ever find your body."

"I wouldn't dream of betraying you, Sydney," Sark replied. His expression made his word seem believable, but Sydney knew better.

**Wittenberg**

Sydney and Sark approach the desk. Sark hands the clerk a piece of paper and the clerk reads it, then hands it back to Sark

Clerk: Name?

Sark: Julian Sark

The clerk typed in the computer, then a moment later, hands Sark a key  
Clerk: Straight down, to your right

Sark and Sydney follow his directions

Outside, Vaughn is keeping a lookout in a van. He sees Anna and Irina walk into the bank  
"Phoenix, you need to hurry. Irina and Anna are here."

Sydney listens to Vaughn via the comms.

"We have to hurry." Sydney starts off in a jog and Sark follows her. Then they reach the vault and Sark opens it with the key. Out front, Anna shoots the clerk and proceeds to the vault with Irina  
Sark walks into the vault and looks around. Then he finds a briefcase and opens it. Inside is a piece of paper. He takes it out, reads it and memorizes it. He then burns the paper. Sark then joins Sydney outside the vault, "Got it." Anna and Irina round the corner and spot Sydney and Sark. They start shooting at them and force Sarka dn Sydney to take cover. Sydney pulls out her gun and returns the fire. She then takes off for the exit, Sark following close behind.

Sydney and Sark exit through the door and gets in their car Mustang. Sydney slips behind the driving wheel and peels out. Irina and Anna then come through the door and get into a car of their own Mercedes. Anna gets in the driving seat and takes off after Sydney.

Sark looks behind them and notices Anna is following them. "They're behind us. Give me a weapon."  
Sydney hands him her gun and he aims at the Mercedes and opens fire, but Irina does the same. "You have to lose them."  
"Sark, do me favor, and shut up!"  
Sydney cuts the wheel to the left hard, but Anna is able to keep up. Sydney then makes a quick right turn and goes into an alley. "Come on, come on."  
Sark opens fire on Anna and Irina again and one of the bullet's hits their tire. "Yes!"

Sark smiles at Sydney as he reloads the gun. Sydney can't help but smile back. Coming into traffic, Sydney guns the engine and just as she is getting out of the alley, she turns and slams on the brake, making the car do a full 180 turn, then guns it again, taking off straight ahead. Anna sees Sydney going towards the right and she cuts the wheel, but it caught on the flat tire and the car flips over. Sark looks behind them and sees the Mercedes flipped over and smiles. "Whoo! You are good Agent Bristow."  
Sydney looks in the mirror and sighs, "They'll be back."

Sark stares at her, "What makes you say that?"

Sydney sighs, "The bad guys, always come back."

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

**Miami Beach**

_Song; Will Smith: 'Miami' playing_

_This is just great_, Sydney thought. _Summertime in Florida. It's hotter than L.A._ Sydney sighed and took in the scene. A beautiful hot day, with everyone playing and having fun at the beach. She wished she could be doing the same thing with Vaughn now. But two things were stopping her. One; She was working, and two; Vaughn wasn't here...Julian Sark was. Sydney and Sark blended in perfectly. They ditched their 'work' clothes and were now in simple Floridan clothes. Sydney was wearing a bathing suit top with shorts and sunglasses on, and Sark was in shorts and a simple t shirt with sunglasses on. "Can I ask exactly where this artifact is hidden?"

Sark smiled at Sydney's ability to still talk about work here, of all places. "I am not entirely sure," he admitted. "But the exact coordinates suggest over there." Sark pointed ahead, and Sydney followed his gaze over to the pier. Sydney raised an eyebrow while they strode towards it. "You're kidding," she mocked. "And exactly where would it be hidden?"

Instead of answering, Sark jogged up to the pier and knelt down by the rocks. He pressed his ear to the one of the rocks and gently knocked on it. Sydney crossed her arms and looked at Sark. She rolled her eyes and looked around. She was looking to see if they were followed. She was sure they weren't, but the kinda of people that Irina and Anna are...she couldn't be too careful. For now, they had the upper hand. And as much as she hated to admit it, it was all thanks to Sark. "Yow!"

Sydney heard Sark let out a yelp and she turned quickly and ran up to him. "What? What's wrong?"

Sark was about knee dip in the water and smiled at Sydney for her immediate concern. "The water is shockingly cold," he answered.

Sydney sighed. Sark was still smiling at her for her touching concern. "Shut up, Sark," Sydney sneered. "You're here to find the artifact remember?" Sark then frowned at Sydney. "I have been in a cell for the past 11 months. If I can enjoy some sunshine and cold beach water that little kids pee in, then I would like to."

Sark went back to what he was doing and a moment later, he found it. "Okay," Sydney started, "Exactly how are we suppose to get it out of rock? We don't have an equipment with us."

"We don't need it." Sark grabbed a loose rock from under some others, and smashed the rock on the pier with it. Sure enough, it split open. Sydney looked at it, a little startled. Sark reached inside and pulled out the artifact. He held it up for Sydney to see. Sydney took it from him and looked at it. "OK," she said, "Let's get this back before Anna and Irina decide to show up."

Sark nodded and both of them took off towards their car, and heading to the airport, back to APO.

**APO**

"We now have the artifact, but there is another matter at hand," Sloane said. After Sydney and Sark flew back into L.A., they went straight to APO.

"What else can there be," Sydney asked. "We were suppose to get the artifact, we got the artifact."  
"Yes, but the machine is still in Irina and Anna's hands."

Sydney glared at him. "If you think I will take it for your own personal-"

"No Sydney, I want you to destroy it. The whole lab, the whole building."

"We don't know where it is though," Jack said. Along with him, Sloane and Sydney, Vaughn and even Sark, were standing in the briefing room.

"We don't." Sloane glared at Sark. "But Sark does."

Sark glared back at Sloane. "My deal was helping Agent Bristow find and retrieve the artifact. That is all. I held up my end of the deal in which does not involve destroying a machine that took me months to build."

"Sark," Sydney began. When Sark met her glaze she continued, "If you want to see the sunshine and you want to swim in the cold beach water, then help me find your lab and destroy it." She looked at her father and Vaughn, "Or they will have a good time getting out of you."

Sark only stared at Sydney. "If I do that, then they will find and kill me. They are probably already after me."

"I think we'll be able to sleep at night," Vaughn replied.

"Quite so, but there is no guarantee that Anna doesn't have the machine in my lab anymore. She could have moved it."

"Then I suggest we go and check it out," Sydney said.

**Berlin**

_Song; Supreme begins of Leisure; Ghetto (Greg Rule Remix); playing_

Sydney and Sark run across the rooftop, both dressed in fatigues. Sydney takes off her backpack and pulls out her equipment and opens the air vent. When she is done, Sark goes in it, Sydney following. Seconds later, then reach the second floor of the building and climb out of the vent. Then they run over to the stairs and run down to the first floor. Sydney pulls out her gun and creeps around the corner. "It's clear."

"We have to split up," Sark said

"I don't think so," Sydney replied

"We have to," Sark insisted. "Once I shut off the security, the alarm will go off minutes later. If both of us go, then we won;t be able to get into the lab and destroy it."

Sydney hesitated then finally nodded in agreement. Sark nodded and headed off in the security room while Sydney advanced to the lab.

**Security Room**

Sark entered the room and the guard looked up in shock.

"Mr. Sark?"

"Hello gentleman."

Sark punched the guard and knocked him out, then the second guard stood up, and Sark grabbed him and threw him into the wall, then punched him and knocked him out as well. He took his gun and stuck it in his belt, then went to the computer and started typing. Moments later, the lights all shut down. "Good luck Sydney," he whispered. The he left the room, proceeding to the exit.

**Lab**

Sydney entered the lab, with her gun ready and looked around. She was surprised that no one was really around. She only knocked out one guard and a couple of scientists. Sloppy, sloppy Anna. Sydney reached the machine and peered at it. This is what is so damn important. Sydney expected a big Rabamldi machine like she had seen before, but this, this was the size of a mini model car. Only about a foot or two long. Sydney shook her head and placed the charged bombs all around the lab, and one directly on the machine. Just as she was about to leave, gun shots rang out. All directed at her, of course. She took cover and returned fire, then bolted out of there. She quickly ran down the massive hallway. _Boy Sark knows how to pick 'em._ Just as she was about to get to the exit, she was cut off by Anna.

Sydney halted to a stop and stared at Anna. Anna only stared back at her with a grin on her face. Both women had their guns at their sides, and both were staring each other down. The at once, both raised their weapons and fired. Sydney took cover, as did Anna, and even though they were great shooters, none of the bullets connected. As Sydney came out from the corner though, preparing to shoot, she pulled the trigger only to find nothing happened. _Damn!_ She threw down her gun and ran up to Anna, who was reloading her gun. Sydney kicked it out of her hand and then threw Anna against the wall then punched her. As Sydney was coming in with another punch, Anna blocked it and punched Sydney, making her stagger backwards. Anna then kicked her sending Sydney hitting the wall behind her. As Anna came in for another blow, Sydney rolled out of the way, regained her balance and kicked Anna from behind. Anna returned with a backhand that sent Sydney back down. Anna then picked Sydney up and punched her in the gut, then the face. Sydney ducked her next attempt and hit Anna in the face. Anna then tackled Sydney and both went down, pulling hair, biting, punching. At the same time though, both saw their weapon laying on the floor. Both women leaped up and each grabbed a gun, stood up and aimed it at each other.

Sydney stood there, across from Anna, panting, bleeding from her head. Anna looked worse though as she had a huge cut above her eye and a swollen eye to match it. Anna smirked at Sydney. "One of us, has an empty case." Sydney realized she was right, One of the guns barrels were empty, but which one? Sydney stood there, fearing but hoping that she had the loaded weapon. Anna still stood there, still smiling, playing on Sydney's fears. Sydney fired her gun. As expecting, for Anna to be done, finished, dead, once of for all. But nothing happened. The gun made a clicking sound. Sydney stared in horror and tried again, but still nothing. The Anna fired. Once, twice, three times, hitting Sydney in the chest all three times.

Sydney fell backwards, feeling the blood rush out of her wounds. She stared up but her vision was too blurry to actually see anything. Then she heard faint footsteps and Anna was standing over her, still smiling at her. "It was nice knowing you, Sydney Bristow." Then Anna raised her weapon once more, at Sydney's head, and fired.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

**Santa Barbara**

Sydney is standing in a white dress on the beach, staring at the sunset. She has a bitter sweet smile on her face as Vaughn approaches from behind her. He follows her gaze looking at the sunset.

"We never made it here, did we," Sydney asked

Vaughn looks down and sighs. "No, we didn't."

"I guess we won't have the chance now, huh?"

"You never know."

Sydney sighs and looks at Vaughn. "I should have tried harder. We should've, tried harder."

"Maybe it just wasn't meant to be," Vaughn suggested

"I don't believe that," Sydney countered.

Vaughn smiles, "Me neither." He looks at Sydney with tears in his eyes. He looks at Sydney's dress and Sydney follows his gaze. She looks down and sees blood trailing from her dress, and blood streaming from her bullet wounds.

"It doesn't hurt." Sydney said. "Not anymore, anyway."

"You don't deserve this Sydney."

"What?"

"Too die and have someone like Anna, still walking the earth, alive. She should've died..."

"Vaughn...maybe it was just meant to be this way."

"No...I don't believe that, and I will not lose you again Sydney. I won't." A gun then appears in Vaughn's hand and he aims it at Sydney.

Sydney looks at the gun with wide-eyes and tears of her own. "Vaughn..."

"I will not give up on us, Sydney. And I will never leave your side."

"Vaughn...please."

"I can't go on without you, and I will not."

Sydney is now crying, "Please..."

Vaughn stares at Sydney with tears of his own. He then brings the gun to his head and fires.

The shot then echos on as sirens blare on, and an EMT yells, "Clear!" Sydney is now on a stretcher in an ambulance as the EMT shocks her for the forth time. They all stare at the monitor, but Sydney is still flat-ling. Vaughn is sitting beside her, holding her hand. Sydney is still bleeding from the wounds she has suffered. Sark, sitting in the front, looks behind him, worried and watching closely. The EMT looks at his partner. "Do it again!" Vaughn yells at them. The second EMT shakes his head. "Agent Vaughn..." 

Vaughn shakes his head, "Do it again!"

The EMT sighs, "Recharging. 600 joules. Clear!"

He once again, shocks Sydney, but this time they find a heartbeat. Vaughn grabs Sydney's hand again. "Sydney?"

"She's breathing," the EMT says. "We need to hurry though."

Sark sighs and turns back, his eyes on the road, just as they were reaching the hospital.

Vaughn sat there, twirling something in his hand. He looked up at the clock once again, and sighed. _What's taking so long?_ he thought. It had been hours since Sydney was rushed into surgery from her ordeal with Anna. Vaughn and Sark had found Sydney unconscious, and bleeding badly. She didn't have a pulse but in the ambulance, they managed to get her back...for the time being that is. Vaughn was angry. At himself for not watching her more, protecting her. And at Anna. He wanted to kill her. He had never felt this much anger for one person since his wife, Lauren, had betrayed him, and everyone he knew. Vaughn stopped twirling the object in his hand, and held it up, looking closely at it, his memories of it streaming into his head. What he was holding was an engagement ring. Sydney's. The one he gave her a week ago after he promised to wed her in Santa Barbara. 

Vaughn's thoughts quickly went away when he heard a familiar, and panicked voice. "Where is she?" Vaughn looked up at Jack, Sydney's father, and stood up, slipping the ring in his pocket. 

"She's still in surgery," Vaughn answered.

"What happened?"

"Anna shot her. The doctors are doing her best, but, Jack...it doesn't look too good."

Jack looked at Vaughn through his pained eyes and Vaughn could practically read his mind, 'Where were you?'. But Jack said nothing, and he knew not everything went as planned while in the field. Vaughn wanted to say something but was at a lost for words. The person he loved could be dead now, and he was standing here, doing nothing. Jack looked down the hall at a doctor approached them. Vaughn walked up to the doctor, with Jack in tow.

"He is she," Vaughn asked

The doctor looked at Jack, and Vaughn and inhaled deeply. "For now...stable. We were able to stop the bleeding, and extract the bullets, and close her wounds, but..."

"What?"

"Because of the loss of blood, her brain was deprived of oxygen for too long. As if that's not worse, the gun shot wound to the head as well wasn't enough to kill her, but it grazed her and damaged several nerves needed for everyday function."

"Meaning what?" Jack jumped in.

"Meaning...even if Sydney somehow wakes up from her coma she is in now, the damage is too great. She may have no memory, or lapses of memory loss such as short term. She might have lost any emotional feelings of loved ones, she could suffer nightmares, personality disorders..." The doctor trailed off. "We'll keep her here, but, we need to discuss what after measures to keep. Mr. Bristow, Sydney has wrote in her medical will that 'If anything should happen to her, induced coma, or any medical illness that will render her incapable of performing her duty, is subject to immediate termination prior of illness/disease.'"

Vaughn looked from Jack to the doctor. "Wait a minute. You want Jack to decide if he should kill his daughter?"

"Mr. Vaughn, Sydney has stated, in ink, that if she is on a life support machine and/or in a coma, that she does not want to continue in this life. It is no way for someone to live."

"It's no way for someone to die either!"

"Vaughn," Jack softy injected. "I am her father." He looks at Vaughn, who just stares back, angry. Jack looks at the doctor. "If this is what Sydney wants...then I agree."

"Very well. I have some papers you need to sign."

"Can I see her first?"

"Of course."

**Hospital Room**

Jack walks into the room and closes the door. He walks over to Sydney's bed and sits next to her. Sydney is hooked up on a monitor with an assistant breathing tube attached to her. As Jack is looking at this he winches and looks at Sydney. He smiles at her and grabs her hand. "I never thought I'd see this Sydney. See you like this...having to sign...your death warrant. I have done, a lot of things that I am not proud of, but the one thing I never regretted is you. You give me the strength to be a better man, and a better father. You brought us together, and everyday, Sydney, you make me proud. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever had the privilege of knowing, and you are the kindest, gentlest soul, a fine agent and a loving human being. I don't want to let you go, but as your father, I respect your decision that you have made, Sydney, and I just wanted to let you know...that I love you." Jack, with tears in his eyes, stands up and kisses Sydney's forehead. Then with one last look, he walks out. From a far, Irina watches Jack in the room, and watches him as he leaves, with tears of her own, she turns and walks away.

**APO**

Nadia walks into Sloane's office and hugs him.

"Nadia," he begins, "I am so happy that you're alright."

Nadia breaks the hug and looks at Dixon, who smiles at her.

"Yeah, we're okay."

"And Eric?"

"He is resting at home. He'll be in later."

"That's good."

"So...what happened? It was a trap?"

"A set-up, yes. By Irina and Anna. That was what I was speaking to Marcus about. Irina and Anna have teamed up. When Sydney was in Paris, she realized it was a set-up, but it was too late."

"We had gone radio silent," Nadia finished.

"Yes. The good news is that from Sydney's Intel on the set-up, we were able to reach you right away."

"So, Anna and Irina had the piece already?"

"No actually, Sark hid it. He and Sydney retrieved it and went to destroy his lab and the machine."

"Were they successful," Dixon asked.

Sloane sighed and looked down. "No," he answered. "The lab was not destroyed. Anna was there, and she shot Sydney."

"Oh god," Nadia breathed. "How is she...where is she?"

"She's in the hospital right now, and her condition is unknown to me at this time..."

Nadia didn't wait for him to finish. Both she got up and walked out. Sloane watched after them as the phone rang. "Hello?" A voice was heard on the other end. "Mr. Sloane?"

"Yes," Sloane answered.

"I believe I have something you might want."

"And what's that?"

"The completed Rambaldi machine."

**Hospital**

Vaughn is sitting beside a comatose Sydney now, holding her hand. "We never made it Santa Barbara, Syd. I don't agree with your father, or with your decision for that matter. I don't understand it, but I just wanted to let you know...I want you to know, that I love you Syd. So much, and I don't want to lose you again. I promise you, that Anna will pay, and I will make sure of that. I promise." Vaughn kisses her hand as the doctor walks in. "It's time," he says. Vaughn nods and kisses Sydney, then walks out. He sees Jack standing outside the room pacing. Vaughn watches him closely then walks up to him and gets in his face. "How could you do this to her?"

"Excuse me?"

"To Sydney," Vaughn yelled. "How can you just pull the plug like that, and not give her a fighting chance?"

"Agent Vaughn..."

"Sydney deserves more, and you know that."

"Agent Vaughn..."

"Sydney has a chance here to recover, the doctor said that, but you're just choosing to ignore the fact..."

"The fact is!" Jack yelled, "That my daughter is dead! She is in a coma, Agent Vaughn. That is no way to continue living."

"Neither is dying," Vaughn countered.

"I love Sydney, and I would never do anything to harm her. But she was shot three times in the chest and in the head...no one recovers from that. No one."

Vaughn doesn't say anything. In fact, he is at a loss of words. He looks at Jack and realizes how much this is paining him...signing off the warrant to his daughters death. Vaughn could never do that, but somehow, Jack could.

"What's going on?"

Both men turned to see Nadia, concerned and weak.

"They're uh..." Vaughn started. But he couldn't bring himself to say it.

"What?" Nadia pressed.

"They're taking Sydney off life support," Jack said.

"What, why?"

"Because, she's better off. It is what Sydney wants."

Nadia begins to cry and walks up to the window, looking into her room. "It was Anna." Nadia wasn't asking a question, she was stating a fact and Vaughn knew at that point, Nadia wanted a piece of Anna as well. The doctor looked up at Jack, Nadia and Vaughn and then turned off the switch to the machine and pulled out the tube. The monitor started to beep rapidly, until minute or so later, it flat-lined, showing no pulse...no life. The doctor grabbed the chart and looked up at the clock. Nadia began openly sobbing and Vaughn hugged her offering some support. But Nadia couldn't stand there and watch. She didn't even want to hear the doctor call time...but she did. "Time of death...21:49"

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

Oh! I got my first review yay! Thank you so much for taking the time to read and review it. The story is not over...far from it. And if you like the twists and turns in the plots, then stick around, cuz I got plenty! Thanks again!

Descena

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He felt pain. Not physical pain, but emotional pain. Nothing like what he went through to get his M.D. He was a doctor, Sydney Bristow's doctor. _Wrong,_ he thought, _I was her doctor._ That was the hardest thing, to end someones life, especially someone like Sydney. He only knew her for a year for regular check ups required for working for the CIA, but he got to know her and like her. He looked over at her family but was at a loss of words. What exactly could he say to them? Instead he only sighed and wrote on the chart. He then carefully placed it on the table and proceeded to walk next to Sydney and take out the rest of the IV's in her arm. Just as he was doing so though, a hand reached up and grabbed his wrist, stopping him. He stepped back and gasped, "Jesus!" He stared in shock as Sydney quickly sat up and looked around her. "Where the hell am I?" she yelled. The doctor couldn't say anything though. Vaughn Nadia and Jack all rushed in the room in the same state of shock as was the Doctor. Vaughn approached Sydney first though and wrapped his arms around her as she let go of the Doctor. Jack looked questionably at him, but all he could do was stare back. _She died...I know she did..._

**Safe house**

Irina walks in and sees Anna sitting down, cleaning her gun. Anna looks up and smiles at her, "What took you so long?"

Irina shrugged, "I had to check up on someone."

"Everything okay then," Anna inquired.

"Not really."

"Why's that?"

"Someone didn't follow orders."

Anna stopped cleaning her gun and looked up at Irina. "Are you talking about me?"

"Are you guilty, Anna?"

Instead, Anna only huffed and stood up, approaching Irina. "You saw Sydney, didn't you?"

"I told you to leave her alone and what did you do? You killed her!"

"I understand why you are upset, she is your daughter and to be honest, I was very fond of her as well. But she was a risk-"

"To you," Irina interrupted. "She would've killed you."

"That's right."

"I told you to leave Sydney alone, Anna. That was an order."

"I don't play by the rules, Irina."

Irina stared at Anna in the eyes. She raised her gun and shot her. Anna blinked in surprise and fell down. She stared up at Irina. "You are just like her."

"I'm her mother."

"You did a good job then. You let your partner kill your daughter in cold blood."

Irina frowned and shot her again, but this time, Anna didn't move anymore. Irina continued to shot her until the clip was empty. She looked down at Anna, who was covered in blood, her eyes were open and blank. _That was for you, Sydney_.

**Hospital**

Vaughn walked back in the room hours after Sydney had waken up. As he entered, he saw the bed was empty. "Sydney?" he called out. As if on cue, Sydney walked out of the bathroom, finishing buttoning up her shirt. Vaughn smiled at her. "Are you okay," he asked.

"Yeah." Sydney returned his smile. "Is something funny?"

"No, just..." He walks over to her and helps her button the shirt. "You missed a button."

Sydney laughs, embarrassed. "It's the medicine they have me on."

"I figured. How are you healing?"

Sydney sighs, "I'm healing. It'll take time, but, it's fine."

"Sydney, you shouldn't be leaving the hospital."

"Vaughn, I am fine, really. I swear, okay. A few days of bed rest and I'll be back in the field in no time."

"That's not what I meant." Sydney turned and looked at him closely as he continued. "You died Sydney. Really, we all saw it. It's a miracle that you're standing here right now."

"I know," she whispered. Her thoughts wondered back to the vivid dream she had before. "Vaughn..."

"What is it?"

Sydney looked at Vaughn and just by looking in his eyes, she could see all the love this man had for her. Instead she only grinned at him and said, "Let's go home."

Vaughn nodded, "Okay." He grabbed her bag and followed her outside the room. She met Nadia and her father out there and hugged them. All four of them walked out of the hospital, each with a smile on their face.

TBC

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Please review! Thank you


	6. Chapter 6

**_5 months later_**

**APO**

Sydney is sitting at her desk, working and when Vaughn walks up to her, she ignores him. Vaughn clears his throat. "I heard that you are escorting Sark to a safe house." Without looking up, Sydney nodded, "Yep. He fulfilled his end of the deal."

Vaughn sighed, "How come you asked that you do it by yourself? I thought we agreed before you went to Berlin that we would do it together?"

Sydney stopped her work and looked at Vaughn. She leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms, staring coldly at Vaughn. "I don't need a babysitter, Vaughn."

"I know that, but still-"

"Still nothing." She went back to her work. "I don't need a lecture from you Vaughn, I get that enough from my father."

Vaughn stared at Sydney in shock. _What was her problem?_ But Vaughn didn't say anything, he turned to leave but noticed something. Something that broke his heart. "How come you're not wearing your ring?" For the past five months, he tried every time to get Sydney alone, and to make their engagement final...but every time, she avoided it. Not wearing their ring just made him painfully remember that.

Sydney looked at her hand. Oops. "Oh, I uh, dropped it off at the cleaners," she stammered. She looked at Vaughn and and saw him smile and nod. "Oh, okay," he replied. Sydney knew he didn't believe her, but she didn't care, not anymore.

As Vaughn left, Nadia approached Sydney. "Hey, Syd. Eric and I are going out tonight, do you and Vaughn want to join us?"

_Can I get no work done?_ Sydney thought angrily. But she smiled sweetly at Nadia. "Rain-check? I have to get approved to get back in the field."

Nadia looked hurt. "Oh, okay, yeah sure. Other time then."

Sydney nodded and watched Nadia leave. She rolled her eyes. _What is with her? She like stays attached to me and doesn't let me breathe._ Although, Sydney knew it was only because she didn't have a family until recently. _But still..._

**Downtown L.A.**

Sloane pulls his car into a hidden alley, and drives until he reaches a car in front of him. Shutting off his car, he gets off and walks to the shadowed figure standing in front of the car. "Irina," Sloane said. "And to what do I owe this pleasure?"

Irina smiled at Sloane. "I have an offer for you, Arvin."

"Really?"

"I can give you information, and the Rabamldi machine."

Sloane studied Irina and raised his eyebrow, "Why would you do that?"

"Because, we both want the same thing. To finish his endgame, and you and I can achieve that."

Sloane took that into thought and finally agreed, "Very well."

"Good. I will ask only one thing from you." Irina's eyes shined in the moonlight.

"What's that?"

"Julian Sark."

Sloane shook his head. "I can't do that. The CIA is moving him to a safe location."

"The replace whoever is escorting him."

"I can't do that either. Sydney Bristow is moving him."

Irina glared at Sloane. "Sydney is dead."

"No." Sloane again shook his head again. "Sydney is alive, has been for months now."

"Then how come I heard nothing?"

"Because, she was kept at low-profile. She wasn't field rated until recently. That's why."

"I don't believe you."

"No? Then I will prove it to you," Sloane challenged.

**Sydney's house**

Sydney walks into her home and throws down her keys. She walks into the kitchen and sees her father sitting in the living room. "Dad. How did get in here?"

"You left me a key," Jack answered.

Sydney disregarded Jack, "No I didn't."

Jack stood up and walked over to Sydney. "No...you didn't."

"What are you doing here," she asked, annoyed at him.

"I just came, to talk."

"Talk?" Jack nodded. "That's why they invented cell phones. They are quite handy."

"I take it, you don't want me here?"

"Dad, I am busy okay? Busy, and tired. Just leave."

"You are escorting Sark tomorrow? Going back in the field?"

"Escorting Sark isn't field work."

"It is when Julian Sark is involved."

**APO**

Sydney walks into Sloane's office. "What is this? I would've been at the CIA getting Sark now, Sloane."

Sloane looked at Sydney, "I know. But plans have changed. You will be accompanied in escorting Sark."

Sydney began to get angry, "Did Vaughn come to you with this?"

"No Sydney. Vaughn will not go with you." Irina entered Sloane's office from behind Sydney and smiled at her. "You're mother will," he finished. Sydney stood there, unable to say anything. "My god Sydney," Irina breathed. "You're alive."

**CIA**

Sydney and Irina are waiting outside CIA headquarters when Sark emerges. The guards release him and Sark walks up to them. He smiles at Sydney. "I thought it was going to be just the two of us?"

"I hope you don't mind, Sark," Irina said mockingly.

"Not at all," he replied.

"Let's get this over with," Sydney interrupted.

"Yes," Sark once again smiled at Sydney, who did not return it, "Let's"


	7. Chapter 7

Sydney is driving on the road towards the safe house for Sark. Sitting beside her is her mother Irina and Sark, in the back seat. Irina continually glances in Sydney's direction, but Sydney ignores her and keeps her eyes on the road, not saying anything to Irina. The eerie silence consumes the car until Irina breaks it. "So, where exactly are we taking Sark?"

"No place you need to be worried about," Sydney snapped at her. Irina looked at her in shock.

"Well, I think I should know."

"Well, I don't."

"Why not," Irina asked.

"Think about it Mom. You think I don't know what you're up to? The reason why you approached us and said you switched sides, again, and that you will work for us and you just so happened to be partnered with me to escort Sark to a safe house?" Irina only looked at Sydney, but Sydney didn't know if it was confusion she saw on her mothers face, or if she knew she was caught in the act. "This is the only way to get back at Sark, to find out where the CIA will hide him so you can get to him and kill him."

"I have no intention of harming Sark," Irina stated simply.

"Really? I don't believe you. Sark betrayed you and Anna and you still need the artifact that we now have."

Irina looked away and sighed, _How does she know this?_ she thought. _There is no way Sydney can know all of my plans, and if she does..._ Irina sighed as Sydney was pulling up to a red light just under the highway bridge. Sydney took out her gun and pointed it at Irina. Irina stared in shock at Sydney. "Get out," Sydney said.

"Sydney," Irina breathed.

Sydney only stared at her mother, "Get out now, or I will kill you," she warned.

Irina stared at Sydney in the eyes and shuddered. All that was there was murder in her daughter's eyes. Murder and hate. The very sight made her blood run cold. Sydney cocked the hammer on the gun and Irina opened the door and stepped out. The second she closed it, Sydney peeled out and drove away. Irina took out her cell phone and dialed and when a man answered said, "We have a serious problem."

**San Diego**

Sydney and Sark enter the safe house and Sydney checks around, to make sure the place isn't bugged. When she concludes it is safe, she walks up to Sark, who looked worried.

"Anna and Irina are really out for me, huh?" he asked

"Not just them, Sark. Other members from the Convent as well. The ones who got away." Sydney noticed the confusion on his face and continued, "When those Convent members found out that Anna and Irina had the Rabamldi machine, they resurfaced and help them built it. They know you betrayed them Sark."

"That's right," he realized. "I lead to the Convent being destroyed and..."

"And to the death of the woman you loved," Sydney finished.

"Used to love." Sark smiles at her and she smiles back, "Don't flatter yourself, Sark" Sydney took out a cell phone and handed it to Sark. "This is to contact me, and only me," she hands him another cells phone, but is a different color, " This is the one you use to call...whatever, or whoever."

"Why two different ones?"

"Because the CIA will be keeping tabs on you for awhile, so you need to lay low. The first one I gave you has no tracer on it." Sydney then hands him a key. "In one hour, a taxi will be outside, You will take that taxi to the airport and the plane you will get on is going to the Bahamas. On the plane, you will receive a text message from the non-traced cell phone on coordinates. Those coordinates will lead you to another safe house where I will meet you."

"And who knows of this safe house?

"No one. Only you and myself. It won't be safe for you here, Anna and Irina will find you eventually."

"Thank you Sydney. Truly."

Sydney walked to the door and nodded at him, "Just don't get yourself killed Sark."

"I told you that Irina was to accompany you on transporting Sark to the safe house," Sloane was saying. The second Sydney had entered APO, Sloane called her to his office. She knew he would go off and be upset on her actions because it was undermining him. The whole situation though, and her continuing to answer to Sloane, made her laugh. "The objective," Sydney started, "Was to take Sark to the safe house, and I did just that."

"And you threatened to kill Irina as well. Sydney, she was there to offer cover if you needed it..."

"Which I didn't," Sydney rolled her eyes.

"My point is Sydney," Sloane said irritated, "If you did, you wouldn't have had it because of your emotions towards Irina."

"So sue me, Sloane. I don't trust her and I know the moment we turn out backs on her she will betray us. She needed the location of Sark to get the artifact and kill him. I prevented it while you were ready to hand it to her and Anna."

"Anna is dead," Sloane blurted out. Sydney stopped and blinked. "Wh-what?"

"Anna is dead, Sydney. Langley confirmed it an hour ago."

"How...who?"

"We don't know. That's why we need Irina's help."

"We don't need her help for that. And I will not be a part of it."

"If I order you to, you will," Sloane challenged.

"No, I won't. Take me off the case, Sloane, because I want nothing to do with my mother."

Sydney stormed out of the office and towards her desk when her cell phone rang. "Bristow."

A deep voice sounded on the other end, "Is everything moving along?"

"Perfectly," she replied.

"So Irina made the call?

"Yes she did."

"Good. Sloane will take it then. He is going to send Nadia, Vaughn and Dixon to take the artifact from CIA custody, he won't tell them that of course, but they will do it. You are to take it from them without revealing yourself. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Good."

"How is she?"

The man on the other side of the conversion sighed, "Given her ordeal and conditioning she's been put through...very well. She'll wake up soon, so we need to be quick."

"Don't worry, it'll be done."

Sydney hanged up the phone and looked around to make sure no one was listening. She then grabbed her purse and keys and left, Jack watching from his office the whole time, frowning.

Vaughn and Dixon are sitting in the van monitoring Nadia as she is approaching the warehouse where the artifact is ready to be delivered. Dixon types in his computer and spares a glance at Vaughn, who is deep in thought.

"What is it," Dixon asked.

Vaughn sighs, going back to work. "Nothing."

Dixon doesn't buy it, "Vaughn..."

"It's just...Sydney."

"What about her?"

"Does she seem different to you?"

"Different?"

Vaughn looks at Dixon, "She's been strange lately, not herself..."

"Distant?"

Vaughn nods, "Yeah. Like the other day she wasn't wearing her ring, and maybe it's not a big deal and she just forgot, but it's just..."

"Not like her?"

"Yeah."

"Vaughn, she's been through a lot. I mean, technically she died right? That has to do something to you emotionally, you know? You just have to give her more time."

"Yeah, okay."

Nadia's voice is heard over the comms, "Guards one, two and three are out. Proceeding to target."

"Copy Evergreen", Vaughn said.

A moment later Nadia was heard again, "I found it."

"Okay," Dixon stared, "Meet us at the rendezvous point."

"Copy." Nadia put the artifact in her bag and started towards Vaughn and Dixon when she was hit from behind, knocked out. The masked figure knelt down next to Nadia and grabbed the bag, then took off running the other way.

"Evergreen, do you copy," Vaughn asked. When there was no reply he and Dixon exchanged looks and jumped out of the van.

The masked figure ran parallel to the side of the building and got into a black Mercedes. Taking off the mask, Sydney smoothed out her hair and peered into the bag. Seeing the artifact, she started the engine and pulled out.

Sydney walked into APO seeing Sloane, Jack, Vaughn, Weiss, Dixon and Nadia all gathered together in a circle, in deep conversation. She lifted her shoulders and approached them. "What's going on?"

"We didn't get the artifact," Vaughn announced.

"What? What happened?" Sydney asked, shocked.

"We think someone leaked Intel, and they cut us off," Dixon said.

"Are you guys all alright?"

"Yeah," Nadia said, "We're fine."

"Sydney," Jack said, "A word please?"

Sydney followed Jack into his office. She didn't have a good feeling about this. "What is it Dad?"

"Sloane tasked you with your mother on escorting Sark, didn't he?"

"You think she took artifact?"

"Who else?"

"Okay," Sydney said, "So what do we do."

"Well, we have something that no one else has."

Sydney looked at him and shivered. She knew that he knew something. _Did he see the phone call I received?_ "And what's that?"

"You," he said simply. "After all, there is only one Sydney Bristow."

Sydney looked at him guilty, and nodded. _There is only one Sydney Bristow..._


	8. Chapter 8

"I caught her," he said. The other Man shoved his hands in his pockets and sighed, "What are you talking about?" The Man sighed, distraught and he looked tired. "Sydney, or whoever she really is..." The other Man looked at him as if he were crazy, "'Whoever she really is'? What the hell is that suppose to mean?" "She's not herself, not acting like Sydney," the Man continued. "She is hiding something, I saw it in her eyes." "Really?" the other Man questioned. "Look, Sydney is just tired, she's been through a lot, okay?" Vaughn turned to leave but Jack grabbed his arms, preventing Vaughn from walking out in the rain towards his car. The next day after talking with Sydney, Jack called Vaughn asking to meet met him here, in the park under a bridge. It was raining cats and dogs outside, which gave them good cover, so no one knew what they were saying even if they had spotted them. "I am telling you," Jack implied, "She is not my daughter. That woman is someone else pretending to be Sydney." Vaughn looked at Jack and realized he was serious. "What if it is true," he stated, "And she really isn't Sydney, then who is it, and where is Sydney?" Jack shook his head, "I don't know," he admitted. "But I knowsomeone who might, and someone who believes me more than even I do." Vaughn shook his head this time in disbelief. "Irina."

**((Last Night))**

"I am telling you Jack," Irina was saying, "That is not Sydney. Not at all."

"What makes you say that?"

"She's different. Maybe someone else entirely. Someone who knew Sydney enough to portray her."

"Project Helix?" Jack suggested

"Yes."

"No," Jack shook his head. "I highly doubt that."

"It's not her, Jack. Just look in her eyes, and you will see."

"And did you," Vaughn asked.

Jack nodded. "Whoever she is, she is hiding something, and I think that is it. I am sure of it."

"OK, supposing you are right, then where is our Sydney?"

Jack didn't have an answer, he didn't even know where to look. Instead, he was silent and Vaughn caught that feeling. They already had reached a dead end. They could confront the double, providing she indeed was that. But there was no guarantee she would even talk.

Vaughn's phone rang, disrupting his thoughts. "Hello?"

**Berlin**

Jack and Vaughn walk into the Doctors office, prior to receiving a call from him. "I am sorry to call you like this," he began.

"That's fine," Jack stated. "What's the problem?"

"Straight to the point," the Doctor said, "Okay. When you brought Agent Bristow in here, she was really bad. She crashed on the table during the surgery three times. It was a miracle we got a heartbeat all three times. She was unresponsive and suffered deep head trauma, which takes at least months to recover from. And that is straight bed rest and hospital supervision. The Sydney you left with, is not Sydney Bristow. Not in actuality."

"Wait," Vaughn stopped him, "What are you getting at?"

"When Sydney was brought in," the Doctor continued, "A couple approached me and offered me a money to let them take Sydney to their facility, and replace her with someone else. They said only they could treat her and she would die without them, and I believed them. Sydney would not survive unless they had something I didn't."

"Where did they take her," Jack asked

"I do not know," the Doctor answered. "But the woman they replaced her with...it was remarkable. She looked, smelled, sounded, just like the real Sydney Bristow. Even the DNA were the same. Only the eyes were different. Instead of life and warmth, there was darkness and evil. Whatever it was she was doing, whatever plan she had, it had to be revenge. It was personal for her."

"Did this woman have a name?" Vaughn asked

"Uh...yes," the Doctor remembered. "Reed...uh, Lauren Reed."

**Los Angeles **

Sydney walks in the door and sees Nadia in the kitchen cooking.

"Hey," Nadia greeted her.

"Hey."

"You hungry? I'm making pasta."

Sydney frowned, "Uh, not really." She placed her bag on the counter behind Nadia and watched her. "So..anything from my Dad, or APO?"

Nadia shook her head, "No...why?"

"Just wondering." Sydney reached in her bag and pulled out her gun slowly. "You know, I heard of a good movie."

"Really," Nadia asked still focused on her cooking. "What's it called?"

"I forget but it's about someone who almost dies, but she is taken away. The funny thing is, someone replaces her and her family and friends never know. They never know it's not really and that she is working against them the whole time."

Nadia looks up, straight ahead and her eyes slowly widen, as if she is realizing something. "Really?"

"Yeah," Sydney takes her gun out all the way and quietly takes the safety off. "In the end, not only does the woman who was almost killed die, but her family and friends as well because the impostor is really an old enemy."

Nadia opens a drawer, looking for her gun, "And who is this enemy?"

"Well that's the thing," Sydney smiled and raised the gun. Nadia saw the gun pointed at her from the reflection on the pot. "You'll never know."

Sydney fires, but Nadia ducks and runs in the room, Sydney shooting at her. Sydney reloads her gun, "Come on! I thought you were Sydney's sister, you're suppose to be tough." Sydney follows Nadia but is met by Nadia's gun. Sydney slaps it away as Nadia shoots, and hits her in her head. Sydney then grabs Nadia and throws her in the bathroom. Nadia slowly gets up and turns around, facing the Sydney double.

"Who are you," Nadia asked. Blood running from her cut on the side of her head, and a limp shoulder, she still stood tall, defying the double, but the Sydney look alike, was not imitated. She only smiled.

"It doesn't matter. Just know this," she points the gun at Nadia's face. "The image you will ever see is the face of your sister, killing you."

Vaughn and Jack kick down the door to Sydney's house, with guns drawn. Walking further in the house, they see a pot of pasta on the stove that has been sitting awhile and the house in a wreck. Bullets in the wall and pictures fallen down. Jack walks in Sydney's bedroom and looks around and Vaughn goes in the bathroom. He hears water running as if someone was taking a shower. The door is opened slightly and Vaughn pushes it open more and looks inside. There is blood on the floor and around the toilet. Vaughn pulls back the shower curtain and sees blood on along the wall and a little on the end of the shower. He extends his hand out in the water then shuts it off and walks into the living room. Jack is already there, so Vaughn holsters his gun and sighs. "Whatever happened here, it ended a couple of hours ago." Jack nodded, "There was a struggle here though," he added. Vaughn sighed, "What now Jack?"

Sydney opened her eyes. She didn't know where she was, but it was dark, and cold. Sydney stood up and felt a rush of blood in her head. She gasped at the pain and caught her breath. She brought her hand up to the side of her head and was surprised to find stitches there, and something that felt hard, like a rock, or...metal. _What the hell?_ she thought. Sydney slowly made her way out of the bed. Her balance was off and it took her second just to stand. Slowly she made her way to the window and pull back the curtains letting streams of light in. She shielded her eyes and let them adjust to the light. The door then opened and Sydney slightly jumped at the sound. A man walked through the door and smiled at her. "How are you feeling" he asked her. Sydney couldn't answer, she was a loss for words. It took her awhile to actually say something and when she did, she couldn't put it together in a sentence. Instead, all she managed to do was whisper, "Danny?"


	9. Chapter 9

Jack and Vaughn run into APO and nearly collide with Marshall. Marshall fumbles with his papers in his hands and stops to catch his breath. "Guys," he started. He breathed in again and paused. "What is it Marshall?" Jack asked, impatient. "Y-you have to hear this," Marshall said. Vaughn, Marshall and Jack walked in the debriefing room and Vaughn saw Sloane with a defeated look on his face, and Dixon with the same expression. He also noticed Will was in the room, and it suprised him. "What's going on?" he asked.

"We found something out," Sloane said.

"What?" Jack asked

Instead of answering, Sloane looked at Will. Vaughn and Jack followed his gaze and Will shook his head. "I can't believe this," he complained. "I few months ago, I overheard a conversation I wasn't suppose to, at least, I think I wasn't. I didn't know the person, but she knew Sydney because she talked about her. She said something about Rabamldi and Sydney."

"Did you find anything out," Vaughn asked him.

"Yes, and you won't believe it. They figured it out, whoever this woman is or is working for, they figured out the endgame and what they need."

"What's that?" Dixon asked.

"They need Sydney, or, her DNA in blood. They also found a lost Rambaldi piece that revealed another secret. Something that had to do with The Chosen One choosing a path and something else about Rambadli's genetic line."

"That's great," Vaughn muttered.

"I'm sorry it's not much and in pieces," Will said, "But it was enough to freak me out."

Will looked around the room and studied there faces. They were in trouble and everyone was feeling it. He looked around and realized someone important was missing. "Where's Syd?"

Sydney stared at Danny. He leaned against the door and studied her.

"My God, you haven't changed a bit."

"Danny? How..." Sydney swallowed as she saw someone else enter the room and stand next to Danny. Lauren. "I killed you," Sydney said.

"Yes, Sydney," Danny replied. "You did. But Anna killed you as well. And yet, both of you are standing here, very much alive."

Danny smiled at her and Sydney knew he was expecting her to ask how. Truth was, she wanted to know how. "So tell me then, why? And how?"

"Rabamldi fluid. Brings back the dead," Danny said. "It's very scarce, and our secret. Truth is, we need you. You can help us and I help you."

"I scratch your back and you scratch mine?" Danny nodded and Sydney glared at him "Too bad, I don't need your help."

"If you, your sister and your daughter wish to leave here in one piece and never be bothered again, then you do."

Sydney stared at him. "My...daughter?"

Danny opens the door into a room where it is colored in pink and white. Sydney walks in and sees baby toys on the floor and walks over to the crib. Inside is a little girl. Sydney reaches in and picks her up. Smiling she holds her and looks at Danny. "How old is she?"

Danny smiles at her, "About four days old. We didn't name her yet...figured you might want to do that yourself."

Sydney kissed the little girl and wiped away her tears. "Is she okay?"

"She's perfectly healthy, Sydney," Danny answered.

"Sydney," Danny started, "All we need you to do is one thing, then you and your daughter can leave. I can arrange for you to go anywhere you want and you will never hear about Rabamldi or the CIA again."

Sydney studied Danny. "What do you want me to do exaclty?"

"Elminate the rest of Rambaldi's blood line. Those related to The Chosen One and the Passenger, in simpilar terms."

Sydney started to shake her head but Danny pressed on. "If you don't do it Sydney...they will make you."

"'They'"?

"I do have bosses you know. Allies."

Sydney puts the baby back in the crib. "Is Nadia alright?"

"Nadia is fine, Sydney. Make a desicion."

Vaughn and Jack walk out of the office when Vaughn's cell rings. He looks at the name, then at Jack. "It's Sydney." He flipped open his phone, "Sydney?"

On the other end, Sydney holds the phone to her ear and sighs, closing her eyes. It was so good to hear Vaughn's voice after so long, and hearing the concern and love he had for her. "Sydney," Vaughn said, "Please say something. Where are you? Are you okay?" Sydney closed the phone and looked at Danny. "I need equpiment and clothes." Danny nodded and smiled.

**Amsterdam **

_Song: Nickelback: Savin' Me ; Playing _

Sydney, driving a light black F-150, pulls into an empty parking lot, with Irina waiting for her. Sydney waits a litte bit, before getting out of the truck. She wasn't sure how she would this. How could she kill someone she loved. She didn't trust her mother as far as she could throw her, but she still did love her. But she couldn't risk the life of her sister and her newborn daughter. Sydney shuts off the truck, leaving the lights on. She got out and walked up to her mother. She hugged her tightly, softly crying. "I'm so glad you're okay, Sydney," Irina sobbed. Sydney broke the hug and smiled at her mother.

"I'm glad you knew that wasn't really me," Sydney said.

"I might not have been in your life every step of the way, but I am still your mother."

"I know."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Mom. I just...have to do something. That's all." Sydney paused and looked at her mother. "Do you love me?"

Irina looked at her in surprise. "Wh-what?" she blinked.

"You love me right? Even with the backstabbing you've done, and the evil. And my hating you. You still love me?"

Irina started to cry, looking at Sydney. "...No," she managed to say.

Sydney chcukled softly and pulled out her gun. "You lied."

Irina looked painfully at Sydney, "Yes," she admitted. "I lied." She smiled softly.

"Thanks for trying."

Sydney pulled the trigger, and shot Irina in the chest. Irina fell down, dead. Sydney sighed and wiped away her tears. She got in the truck, and left.

**Los Angeles**

Sloane marched in the briefing room of APO with Vaughn, Dixon and jack already there. Sloane slams a file on the table and frowns at them. "Irina Derevko was killed last night," Slone annonoced. Jack looks down at his hands.

"Do we know who killed her?" Vaughn asked.

Sloane looked at Vaughn, "I had Marshall pull up the survellence in th area..."

Vaughn looked at Sloane, "...And?"

"It was Sydney."

"But it was probably the double, right?" Dixon suggested.

"No," Jack said. he looked up at them then met Sloane's eyes. "If it was, then Irina wouldn't have met with her without alerting me."

"Well, Irina isn't know for her working with us," Vaughn reminded them.

"No," Sloane interjected. "I agree with Jack. When it comes to Sydney, this is something she would nofity us about."

Sydney walks in her house and looks around. She walks futher in the house and sees the wreck that it's in. She picks up a picture of her and her sister together and sees another one of her and her father. Sydney stares at it conflicted, and places it back in place. She goes in her bedroom and opens her draw. She removes some of her clothes and opens another in the draw and takes out some guns. Her cell phone rings. "Hello?"

"Good job."

Sydney sighs at Danny's voice, "They have the videotape."

"That doesn't matter."

"I don't have clearnace to APO anymore. I can't reach Sloane."

"Come on, Syd. You underesmate me."

"What are you talking about?"

"Check your truck," Danny said. Then he hanged up. Sydney frowned and stared at the phone, then outside the window at the truck.

Sydney stood outside the entrance to APO. She reached in her bag and pulled out what appearaed to be a car stereo. Danny turned this simple car stereo into a low eletrical charge bomb. Sydney was stunned by his abitliy to hide something like that in a stereo. She didn't even think Marshall could do that, or even detect it. She placed the stereo bomb on the door of APO, then took out a card attachted to it and stuck it in the card slot. She stepped back and opened her cell phone ane pressed a button on it. The bomb quietly exploding, and granted her access into APO. Sydney smiled and entered. As she was walking futher into APO, she hit another button on her cell phone and the power went out. As people were quickly shuffling around, Sydney continued walking.

Sloane got up from his chair after the power went out. He cautionsly looked out as people were finding the problem. But then the power flickered back on, and Sloane shrugged. When he turned around though, he took a step back, shocked as Sydney was now sitting in his chair. She smiled softly at him and played with her gun. "You revoked my clearnace," Sydney said.

"How did you get in here?"

Sydney smiled at Sloane. "I had help." Sydney stood up and stared at Sloane in the eyes. "I've been waiting years to do this."

"Then I suggest you get it over with," Sloane warned, "Before security comes."

Sydney smiled dangerously at him again. "Nobody's coming for you, Sloane."

She raised her gun and shot Sloane in the chest. He fell threw the glass, shattering it completely. Everyone stepped back in shock and gasped. All looked at Sloane and Sydney in shock. Sydney stepped through the glass frame and looked down at Sloane. Blood ran underneath her shoe and soaked the floor under him. Vaughn rounded the corner and stared in shock at the scene. Sydney looked up at him, with no emotion or remorse on her face. She heard a gun cock behind her and turned to see another agent raising his gun at her, his hand shaking. Sydney stared at him as he said, "Drop your gun...now." Sydney didn't move though. She quickly raised her gun and shot him in the leg. He dropped his gun and fell, crying out in pain. "Sydney!" Vaughn yelled. He started running to her and Sydney turned and walked out. Vaughn knelt next to Sloane and checked on the agent, then ran the way Sydney left. By the time he reached outside, he saw her truck driving away. Vaughn stopped and sighed. He had lost Sydney again, and someone else was dead. _What are you doing Syd?_ he thought.

Jack is waiting by the lake. After getting a call from one of his contact's regarding the people responaible for his daughter's cloning. Jack faced forward and threw a rock in the water and sensed someone coming up from behind him. "You're late," he stated.

"Your contact isn't coming, Dad."

Jack quickly looked up and saw Sydney standing over him. She looked tired and even frightened. The way the sunset refelcted on her face though, it was hard for him to really tell. He stood up quickly, meeting her eyes. "Sydney. You did this?"

"Not me directly, no," she said.

_Someone you're working for...or is making you work_ he thought. Sydney looked at him sadly and Jack returned the same look. "I take it, you're here to kill me like you did your mother?"

"Don't make this any harder than it is," Sydney said.

"Can I ask why?"

"No. Just know it has to be done." Jack looked at her and Sydney knew he didn't understand. "Things change Dad, and the truth takes time to understand."

"Your mother said that."

"And she was right, and I finally understand. Just like you soon will." Sydney pulls a syringe from her overcoat. "Since this is a public place, I'll make it quiet and quick." She puts the syringe into his shoulder and injects the posion. Jack looks at Sydney and painfully smiles. As he loses his balance, Sydney grabs him and slowly lays him on the grass. Sydney checks his pulse, then walks away, shoving her hands into her pockets.

**Palermo**

_Song; Evanescence: My Last Breath ; Playing_

Sydney winces as the doctor takes blood from her arm.. She wraps a bangage around her arm where they drew blood and walks up to Danny. He smiles at her and hands her a key. Sydney runs to a closed door and puts the key in and opens it. Instead, Nadia is tied up to a chair. Sydney runs to her sister and unties her. Nadia hugs her tightly, softly crying. "Come on. We need to leave." Sydney helps Nadia leave the room. Then Sydney and Nadia walk quickly into another room. Sydney pulls her daughter out of the crib. Nadia looks at her surprised and Sydney sheepishly smiles at her. Nadia smiles at her and they leave the room. Nadia follows Sydney out to the truck and gets it. Nadia takes Sydney's daughter in her lap and Sydney quickly leaves the building. She glances at Nadia sadly and Nadia could almost read her mind. Nadia breaks Sydney's stare and stared ahead of them, tears welling in her eyes.

Inside the building, Danny places Sydney's blood in a tube of Rabamldi's fluid. It sizzles, then Danny places it in the small machine. Lauren then takes the machine, and places it in a bigger machine. The true Rabamldi machine. She looks at Danny and smiles. Just then, all the windows blow in and agents all break in and surround Danny and Lauren. Their bodyguards all come out and shoot at the agents and they fire back. Danny and Lauren then run for the exit but are met by Jack, holding a gun at them. Lauren turns the other way, but Irina is there holding a gun on her now. Jack smiles at both of them, "Good to see you two again."

Lauren stares at Irina and Jack, "Sydney killed you both."

"Just like you," Irina countered. "We know."

"You don't actually think Sydney would kill her parents, did you," Jack asked.

"Obviously she didn't," Danny snapped.

"Actually I did." Sydney walked towards them and holds up an empty vial. "Rabamdli fluid. 'Can bring the dead back to life.' Like you did with Lauren and me. Like I did with my parents and Sloane."

Danny and Lauren glance towards the machine and see Sloane figuring out how to shut it down. "No!" Danny yelled. Then one of the guards shoots at Irina and Jack and they fire back, releasing Danny and Lauren. Sydney sees Danny taking off and she runs after him.

Sydney draws her gun as she enters another empty room. She looks around and sees nothing until Danny leaps out from the shadows and grabs Sydney. Sydney drops her gun and punches Danny. Danny punches her back, and shoves her into the wall. Sydney grunts and kicks Danny in the groin. Danny doubles over as Sydney grabs her gun. Danny sees this and goes after her again. Just as Danny advances towards her, she turns around and fires. Danny stops in front of her and looks down in horror at the gun shot wound. Sydney breathes in and looks at Danny. He smiles at her. "I loved you...you have to know that, Sydney. I truely did." Sydney nods at her and holds back her tears. Danny leans in and kisses her softly. Then, as he pulls back, he slowly falls to his knees and drops at Sydney's feet, dead. Sydeny looks at him painfully as she hears the guun firing stopping. Moments later Jack enters. He runs to Danny and sees he is dead, but there is no sign of Sydney.

Jack runs out of the building and towards Vaughn who looks at him questionably. Jack nods his head and Vaughn presses the button on the controller and the whole building explodes, destroying everything in it. Director Chase walks up to Sloane, Vaughn, Dixon and Jack and shakes their hands. "It's over," she said. "Finally. Rabamldi is no more." Nadia walks up to them, holding Sydney's daughter, with Irina behind her. Irina looks at them and asks, "Where's Sydney?" Jack looks around, then back at them. "She wasn't already out here?" "Did you clear the building," Dixon asked Jack. Jack nodded and Vaughn looked around concerned.

On the airplane, Sydney hears her cell phone ring and answers it. On the other end is Lauren.

"I have something you want."

"Fine," Sydney said, "I want this over with."

"Where do we meet then?"

**Los Angeles**

Sydney is sitting in her house in the living room, drinking a glass of wine when Lauren enters. "I surprised you wanted to meet here," she said.

"What do you have that is mine," Sydney asked.

Lauren reached in her pocket and threw the object at Sydney. Sydney caught it with one hand and put her glass down. What Lauren had thrown her was a necklace. Sydney opened it and her throat went dry. Inside was a picture of her and Danny years ago. "He wanted me to give it to you," Lauren said. "He made me promise before you left to give it to you." SYdney swallowed hard trying not to let her emotions get the best of her. She placed the necklace beside the glass of wine and stood up. "Are we gonna do this or what?" Lauren smiled at her and pulled at her gun and fired at her. But Sydney was quicker and saw it coming. She dived out of the way and pulled out her gun and fired at Lauren. She came out, but Lauren wasn't in front of her anymore. Lauren came from behind Sydney and wrapped her arm around Sydney's throat, choking her. Sydney gasped for air, but to no avail. She used her weight and lifted her feet up and kicked the wall, sending them backwards. Lauren lost her balance with the weight shift and tripped over the coffee table, falling right onto it, shattering the glass. Lauren moaned as she tried to get up. Sydney took advantage and grabbed Lauren by the hair and threw her our of the living room and into the kitchen. Sydney grabbed a knife and took a swing at Lauren. Lauren was able to grab another knife though and did the same to Sydney, catching her in her arm. Sydney gasped and punched Lauren. Lauren took the punch, but then grabbed Sydney and shoved her into the bedroom. Lauren rammed Sydney into the dresser, shattering the mirror on the wall above it. Lauren then grabbed the handcuffs from the dresser and handcuffed them together. Sydney looked at her in surprise as Lauren then pulled out a remote controlled timer and pressed it. The timer began to count down and Sydney noticed the charged explosives all around her bedroom. "Are you crazy?" she screamed. Lauren only smiled at her. "I told you. It's either you or both of us." Sydney looked around the room and spotted the keys to the handcuffs. She leapt for the keys just as the timer beeped and the bombs went off...

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

_Song: Evanescence: My Immortal; playing_

Vaughn drives up a roadblock about quarter mile from Sydney's house. A police officer stops him and Vaughn shows him his badge and the officer lets him by. Vaughn drives to Sydney's house and looks around. EMT's, agents, police officers, even a few National Guards are all around Sydney's house. At least, what used to be her house. Where her house stood now was only rumble. Some of the foundation was still standing, and few pieces of furniture, but they were all mixed in the rumble. Vaughn stopped the car and got out, along with Dixon, Nadia, Jack, Weiss, Irina and Sloane. Vaughn looked in horror at the scene. The Director of the FBI, Director Kendall, saw them and walked over to them. Sloane saw him approaching first. "What happened?" he asked.

Kendall sighed and looked at each of them. "There were set charges in the house...bombs," he explained, "Set off by remote is my guess."

"No one was inside though, right?" Irina asked.

Kendall looked at Irina. "The neighbors said they saw Sydney come home a few hours ago. Half hour later, a blond woman entered the house. Ten minutes later, the house exploded. Neither of them walked out."

Vaughn shook his head in disbelief and walked towards the scene. Vaughn went under the remainder of the house. He looked at the destruction around him when something caught his eye. He bent down and picked up a necklace. He tried to open it, but to no avail. He sighed and looked around and saw Jack and Irina searching through the rumble as well. He looked over by the car and saw Nadia trying to calm the baby, who was crying. Irina picked up an photo album book. Even though the front cover was burnt, the pages inside were still intact. Irina flipped through it. "Jack, look at this." Jack joined her and they looked carefully at each page. On the pages were pictures of Irina and Jack together when they were younger, pictures of Sydney and Nadia now. Pictures of Sydney's life in general. Irina closed the album and wiped away tears. Jack looked at her sympathetically, "She's alive, Irina." Irina didn't reply though. She only threw the book down and walked away. Vaughn slipped the necklace in his pocket and watched Irina walk away. He then looked at Jack and the two men silently communicated with each other. _"Sydney is alive."_ But both new, with this evidence, it was almost impossible.

**Bahamas**

Sark is sleeping on the couch when he hears his cell phone ring. He opens one eye to see the cell phone Sydney gave him, meant for only them, was the one ringing. He reaches over and picks it up just as the ringing ends. Sark sighs and opens the phone and reads the screen, _' 1 Missed Call'_. Sark sighs and sits up when someone knocks on the door. Sark stood up and looked outside the balcony window. He was in the safe house that Sydney sent him to. It was a hotel really, an excellent place to hide...at least he thought so. The knocking at the door continued and Sark grabbed his gun off the coffee table and opened the door. He stared in shock as Lauren, beaten and bruised, was standing in front of him. Sark opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out.

"Hey," Lauren smiled at him. She walked past him and looked around the hotel room quickly.

Sark closes the door and looks at Lauren. "You died. I saw your body."

Lauren nods, "Yes, I did die." She smiles at him again and kisses him. After a moment Sark pulls away. Lauren looks at him, hurt. "I'm sorry," Sark quickly said, "It's just..."

Lauren looks at Sark more closely and frowns. "Do you love someone else?"

"What?"

"You do, don't you?" Lauren accused. "Sydney."

Sark doesn't answer though. Partly because it was true. But something else stopped him.

"Sydney is dead," Lauren continued. "I killed her."

Sark shakes his head, upset. "...No."

"Yes. Too bad. I don't think she ever knew your love for her," she mocked.

Sark looked past Lauren, at someone behind her. "I don't think she's dead."

Lauren turned around just as a fist came directly at her face, connecting and sending her painfully to the ground, holding her jaw. Sydney stood over Lauren, "Remember me, bitch?" Sydney grabbed Lauren by the hair and threw her against the wall, then punched her again. Lauren blocked the other punch though, and kicked Sydney. Sydney doubled over and Lauren angrily cried out and tackled Sydney. Sydney staggered back and both women fell through the glass balcony window, shattering it, and fell three stories down into the pool beneath them. Sark ran out on the balcony and looked down, then turned and ran out.

The people near the pool all backed up, and those in the pool quickly got out. Sydney first came up and sucked in air just as Lauren pulled her back under. Both were bleeding from the cuts from the window, and the blood was mixing in with the blue pool water. Sydney punched Lauren under the water, attempted for Lauren to loosen her grip, but it didn't work. Lauren poked her head out of the water, then got her gun from her belt. She fired it at Sydney and it caught Sydney in her shoulder. Sydney, still under the water, cried out, then pulled Lauren under with her, and took the gun from her. Lauren butt-headed Sydney then started choking her. Sydney tried hitting Lauren again, but Lauren had too much strength against her. Sydney was running out of oxygen, and was bleeding badly. Lauren smiled at her as Sydney's vision began to blackened. She heard a gun shot, but she didn't know from where. The grip on her throat loosened, but Sydney had no more strength to kick back up to the surface. _I'm going to die here, like this..._But then strong arms grabbed her and dragged her up and out of the water. Sydney coughed and spit out water. She rolled over on her back and saw that Sark was laying next to her, out of breath, soaked and wet and holding his gun. Sydney looked at Sark and Sark turned and looked at her. Sydney smiled briefly at him and he returned it. Then he got up and helped Sydney. She turned towards the pool and saw Lauren's lifeless body floating in it, and the pool water was now replaced with blood, instead of blue, it was completely red. Sydney sighed, still breathing heavily and turned to Sark. She gazed at him in his eyes then hugged him. Sark wrapped his arms around her and sighed. "I wanna go home," Sydney said.

Vaughn was surrounded by everyone. By Sloane, Will, Jack, Nadia, Dixon, Weiss. Even Director Chase. They still had no word on Lauren or Sydney and Vaughn was getting overly worried, fearing that Sydney had indeed died. He sensed another presence though and he turned towards the entrance and saw Sydney and Sark standing there, looking horrible. Sark was just wet, but Sydney...Sydney was bloody, bruised, wet and dirty and was holding her shoulder painfully. Vaughn stared at Sydney in amazement as the others saw her arrival as well. The first ones to reach Sydney though, were Jack and Irina. Sydney said nothing, but smiled at her parents as they hugged her tightly, feeling afraid to let go of her. Nadia, Will and Weiss then approached her and hugged her as well. Vaughn started to walk towards her, but Marshall and Dixon reached her first. Vaughn saw Sloane and Director Chase shaking hands with Sark, but he wasn't concerned about that. He walked up to Sydney and she looked at him, so happy to see him and just be alive. Sydney looked at him seriously. "I don't have a house anymore," she said, just realizing. Vaughn broke out in a chuckle and wrapped his arms around Sydney. "My God, Syd. I thought you were dead."

"Yeah," she said, "Wouldn't be the first time."

Vaughn laughed again and broke the hug and looked at her closely. "Are you okay?"

Sydney took a look at herself and smiled, embarrassed. "After a long shower and rest..yes, I will."

"Oh." Vaughn reached in his pocket. "I believe, this is yours." He held up her engagement ring that he gave her. Sydney gasped and smiled at Vaughn. Vaughn slipped on her finger and she kissed him passionately. She sighed a bit and pulled back, holding her shoulder.

"Are you sure your fine," Vaughn asked, concerned.

"I just need a vacation."

Vaughn smiled. "I know just the place."

**Santa Barbara**

(1 day later)

Sydney looked around at her surroundings and smiled. Even though it was hotter than in Florida and L.A., she was in the best mood ever. She was actually in Santa Barbara. She looked around the beach. It was mildly packed, and the sun was gleaming down brightly on them. Weiss and Nadia were heard laughing as they were squirting water guns at each other. Sydney smiled again at the sight, then turned to Vaughn, sitting next to her, smiling at Weiss and Nadia as well. "We made it," she said. Vaughn turned toward her and smiled, "Yes Mrs. Vaughn...we did." Sydney smiled at the name and kissed Vaughn. As the kiss ended, Will and his new wife, Michelle, joined them. "Here you go," Will said, handing them each drinks. "Thank you," Sydney replied. Will and Michelle sat down next to them and Sydney smiled at them. "We did it guys."

Will raised his eyebrow. "Did what?"

"Lived...for one. At least me. And, we're married. We're on a beautiful beach, with no worries at all," Sydney said.

"Yeah, life's grand huh?" Will teased her.

"Where's Jack and Irina," Vaughn asked

"Oh, Will gave them our key to the suite," Michelle answered

Sydney looked at Will concerned. "Why'd you do that?"

Will looked up at her. "He said he needed something from our room."

"Like what," Vaughn asked. "Mints?"

"No...I don't know." Will paused and looked at them, worried. "You don't think...?"

"Oh no," Vaughn said shaking his head, "Jack didn't take your key to your honeymoon suite with his ex-wife to do anything but check out the view."

"Wh..." Will looked at Sydney, but her look only confirmed his suspicions. He got up quickly and ran towards the hotel screaming, "Jack!"

Sydney looked at Michelle. "You might want to switch rooms."

Michelle nodded, "Yeah. I'm gonna go and..." She stood up and ran after Will.

Sydney looked at Vaughn and laughed then checked on little Isabelle who was sleeping in her chair, under the umbrella. Just as Sydney was going to lay back down in the sun, she felt cold water hit her back and she jumped a bit. Vaughn did the same thing as Weiss and Nadia came out from behind them laughing. "Hey," Vaughn yelled. Weiss and Nadia continued laughing and ran towards the water as Sydney and Vaughn got up, grabbed their water guns, and ran after them. "You're gonna get it now!" Sydney called out. "Bring it on," Nadia retorted. Sydney shot the cold water at Nadia and laughed as she gasped. Sydney had nothing to worry about anymore. Lauren and Danny were dead, both her parents were together, and getting along. She was now married to the man she loved, and was vacationing with friends in Santa Barbara. No CIA, no Sloane, no impending danger. Life for Sydney Bristow-Vaughn...was perfect.


End file.
